page: 1 |
Two types of plans participate in the FEHB Program: fee-for-service plans and health maintenance organizations (HMOs).
These plans reimburse you or your health care provider for the cost of covered services. You may choose your own physician, hospital, and other health care providers. Most fee-for-service plans have preferred provider (PPO) arrangements. If you receive services from a preferred provider, you usually have lower out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., a smaller copayment and/or a reduced or waived deductible). All fee-for-service plans require precertification of inpatient admissions and preauthorization of certain procedures.
Fee-for-service plans include:
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) provide or arrange for comprehensive health care services on a prepaid basis through designated plan physicians, hospitals, and other providers in particular locations. Each HMO sets a geographic area for which health care services will be available, called its service area. This area is described in the plan's brochure. You may join a particular HMO if you live within its service area. Some plans also accept enrollments from employees who work in the area even though they live elsewhere. If you have questions about whether you live or work within a HMO's service area, you should contact the plan before you enroll in it.
Generally, you must choose a primary care physician and have all care coordinated through that physician. Your physician is responsible for obtaining any pre-certification required for inpatient admissions or other procedures.
The three types of HMOs are:
Some fee-for-service plans and HMOs offer a point of service product. This gives you the choice of using a designated network of providers or using non-network providers at an additional cost to you. If you don't use network providers, you must pay substantial deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
Each year prior to Open Season, OPM publishes an FEHB Guide for distribution through employing offices to enrollees and eligible persons. The Guide lists all participating plans in the FEHB Program, the premiums required, and other information, including quality indicators. You can also access the FEHB Guide from the FEHB home page.
The benefits, cost, exclusions, limitations, and other major provisions of each participating plan are described in the brochure for that particular plan. You can get copies of the brochures for the various plans that you are eligible to join so you can make an informed choice among them. You can access all plan brochures from the FEHB home page. You can also get brochures from your employing office, and by contacting the plans directly at phone numbers listed in the FEHB Guide. You need to keep your selected plan's current brochure as a continuing source of information on the benefits that your plan provides.
Participating Provider Directories
Each HMO and each fee-for-service plan with preferred provider arrangements publishes a participating provider directory that lists its participating physicians, hospitals, and other providers. Before you enroll in a plan, you should review its participating provider directory. Every year during Open Season, you should ask for an updated directory and contact your chosen providers to see if they will continue to participate in the plan. Many plans have their provider directories on their web sites. These can be accessed directly or from the FEHB home page.
Providers sometimes cease participation during an FEHB contract year; if you enroll in a fee-for-service plan, you should verify the provider's participation status before you receive services.
The continued participation of any provider with a health plan is not guaranteed. You are not eligible to change plans outside of an Open Season or other qualifying event solely because a particular health care provider stops participating with your plan.
Before each Open Season begins, OPM provides agencies with an updated list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all fee-for-service plans and HMOs that currently participate in the FEHB Program.
If you or a covered family member are entitled to benefits from a source other than
your FEHB plan, such as a spouse's health insurance coverage, Medicare, Medicaid, or
no-fault automobile insurance,
These Government agencies are entitled to seek reimbursement from FEHB plans for certain services and supplies furnished to you or a family member. Generally, FEHB benefits are payable for (1) inpatient hospital costs at a Uniformed Services facility, and (2) services and supplies provided by a DVA facility for treatment of a non-service connected disability.
Coordination with TRICARE (formerly CHAMPUS)
TRICARE provides health care for active-duty military personnel whose orders do not specify a period of 30 days or less, and their dependents; retired and former military personnel currently entitled to retired or retainer pay, or equivalent pay, and their dependents; and dependents of deceased military personnel. If you are covered by both an FEHB plan and TRICARE, the FEHB plan pays benefits first as the primary payer and TRICARE is the secondary payer. (All provisions applicable to CHAMPUS now apply to TRICARE.)
Medicare is generally for persons age 65 or over. It has two parts:
You should contact the Social Security Administration for detailed information on Medicare eligibility and benefits. You may also find information on the Medicare Web Site at www.medicare.gov.
Generally, plans under the FEHB Program provide protection against the same kind of expenses as Medicare, plus all FEHB plans provide prescription drug coverage, routine physicals, and a wider range of preventive services than Medicare.
Whether your FEHB plan or Medicare is the
When Either You or Your Covered Spouse are Age 65 and over, Have Medicare and FEHB, and You are: |
The Primary Payer is: |
---|---|
An active employee with Federal Government (including when you or a family member are eligible for Medicare solely because of a disability) |
FEHB |
An annuitant |
Medicare |
A reemployed annuitant with Federal Government |
FEHB, if position not excluded from FEHB(ask your employing office) |
A Federal judge who retired under title 28, U.S.C., or a Tax Court judge who retired under Section 7447 of title 26, U.S.C. (Or your covered spouse is this type of judge) |
Medicare |
Enrolled in Part B only, regardless of your employment status |
Medicare, for Part B services |
A former Federal employee receiving workers' compensation and the Office of Workers' Compensation has determined that you are unable to return to duty |
Medicare, except for claims related to the workers' compensation injury or illness |
When You or a Covered Family Member Have Medicare based on End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and FEHB, and: |
The Primary Payer is: |
Are within the first 30 months of eligibility to receive Part A benefits solely because of ESRD |
FEHB |
Have completed the 30-month ESRD coordination period and are still eligible for Medicare due to ESRD |
Medicare |
Become eligible for Medicare due to ESRD after Medicare became primary for you under another provision |
Medicare |
When You or a Covered Family Member have FEHB, and: | The Primary Payer is: |
Eligible for Medicare based on disability |
Medicare, if you are an annuitant. FEHB, if you are an active employee |
When your FEHB Plan is When Medicare is FEHB plan carriers have made arrangements with Medicare that automatically transfer
claims information to it once Medicare processes your claim, so you generally don't need
to file with both. You may change your FEHB enrollment to any available plan or option at any time
beginning on the 30th day before you become eligible for Medicare. You may use this
enrollment change opportunity only once, and is in addition to any other event (such as
the annual open season) permitting enrollment changes. You may discover that your current plan doesn't meet your needs once you start
receiving Medicare benefits. You should review your plan's benefits and costs and
determine if a different plan would be better for you. PAYMENT OF BENEFITS IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS If you live in a Each year, before the FEHB open season begins, OPM determines which states qualify as
medically underserved areas for the next calendar year. OPM announces the results of this
determination before each open season in a public notice in the Federal Register. The
medically underserved areas are listed in each fee-for-service plan's brochure. For 2001, the States designated as medically underserved areas are:
Alabama, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The right plan for you depends on many factors, including your family composition, your
family's health, your ability to meet out-of-pocket medical expenses, and your ability to
pay the required insurance premiums. What may be a good choice for one person may not be
so for another. Only you can decide which plan is best for you.
Handbook Contents
Appendices
Other